Dying for the Truth: The Concise History of Frontline War Reporting

Paul Moorcraft

nov 2016 · Pen and Sword

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The role of war correspondents is crucial to democracy and the publics discovery of the truth. Without them, the temptation to manipulate events with propaganda would be irresistible to politicians of all hues.It starts by examining how journalists have plied their trade over the years most particularly from the Crimean War onwards. Their impact on the conduct of war has been profound and the author, an experienced journalist, explains in his frank and readable manner how this influence has shaped the actions of politicians and military commanders. By the same token the media is a potentially valuable tool to those in authority and this two-way relationship is examined.Technical developments and 24 hour news have inevitably changed the nature of war reporting and their political masters ignore this at their peril and the author examines the key milestones on this road.Using his own and others experiences in recent conflicts, be they Korea, Falklands, Balkans, Iraq or Afghanistan, the author opens the readers eyes to an aspect of warfare that is all too often overlooked but can be crucial to the outcome. The publics attitude to the day-to-day conduct of war is becoming ever more significant and this fascinating book examines why.

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Professor Paul Moorcraft has frontline experience reporting on over 40 years, literally from A-Z, Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, as a war correspondent for print, radio and TV. The former Sandhurst instructor has also served as an officer in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. He was Visiting Professor at Cardiff University and is currently Director of the Centre for Foreign Policy Analysis, London. His published works in print with Pen and Sword Books include Axis of Evil (2005), The Rhodesian War (2011),Mugabe’s War Machine (2011), The Total Destruction of the Tamil Tigers (2012), Omar al-Bashir and Africa’s Longest War (2015), The Jihadist Threat (2015) ? shortlisted for the British Army Military History Book of the Year, 2016 and Saving The West. He is also an award-winning novelist, and an author of works on crime, and mathematics. He lives near Guildford, Surrey